Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut NV 1.5L

Winery Background and History

Maison Perrier-Jouët was founded in 1811 in Épernay, Champagne, by Pierre-Nicolas Perrier and Rose Adélaïde Jouët. The founders blended their expertise—he in finance and sales, she in botany and nature—to craft elegant champagnes that emphasize floral and delicate aromatic style. Over the 19th and 20th centuries, the house became renowned for its finesse and helped pioneer the “brut” style in the mid-1800s. The house now operates under Pernod Ricard and produces both non-vintage and prestige cuvées, maintaining holdings in prime vineyards in Avize, Cramant, Mailly, and the Côte des Blancs.

Producer and Wine Maker

Perrier-Jouët does not spotlight a singular winemaker; rather, its Chef de Caves and cellar team oversee blending, consistency, and style across years. The Grand Brut NV is their flagship non-vintage cuvée, intended to reflect the house’s signature balance of floral elegance, fruit, and subtle secondary character. The cellar team manages reserve wines, dosage levels, and aging to maintain the house style.

Vineyards and Micro Climate

Perrier-Jouët owns vineyard plots across Champagne, including prime holdings in Avize and Cramant, where chalky soils, good drainage, and cool continental climate prevail. The region’s conditions—cold winters, moderate summers, warm days and cool nights—preserve acidity and aromatic intensity in the grapes. The interplay of soil, elevation, and exposure in these terroirs supports a refined, mineral character in the wines.

Vinification & Aging Methods

Grand Brut NV is a blend of vintages (non-vintage) matured for about three years on the lees before disgorgement to promote complexity and integration. Perrier-Jouët includes reserve wines (≈ 12–20 %) to maintain consistency across lots. The blend composition is about 40 % Pinot Noir, 40 % Pinot Meunier, 20 % Chardonnay. After second fermentation in bottle (méthode champenoise), the wines are riddled, disgorged, lightly dosed, and released.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Elegant floral bouquet (white blossoms, lime blossom, honeysuckle), orchard fruits (pear, apple), yellow fruits (apricot), and subtle brioche, butter, vanilla nuances.

Palate: Crisp and fresh attack, citrus zest and stone fruit flavors, delicate mousse, silky texture, a balanced interplay of fruit, minerality, and light toast/yeast character.

Finish: Medium to long, with lingering floral notes, faint brioche and toasty echo, and a refined, supple texture.

Food & Wine Pairing

This Champagne pairs beautifully as an aperitif, with oysters, shellfish, sushi, sashimi, soft cheeses, poached poultry, mild creamy sauces, lightly seasoned fish, or delicate fruit desserts. Its freshness and aromatic finesse make it versatile across styles.

Service Methods and Temperatures

Serve chilled at 8–10 °C. Use a tulip flute or a white-wine balloon glass to allow the aromas to open while preserving effervescence. Avoid overchilling, which suppresses aromatic expression.

Storage and Aging Potential

Store bottles horizontally in a cool, dark cellar (≈ 10–12 °C). Because Grand Brut NV is a non-vintage blend intended for current drinking, its optimal drinking window is within 5–10 years of disgorgement, though it can evolve moderately in a good cellar.

Grape Varietals & Percentage Used

• Pinot Noir ~ 40 %

• Pinot Meunier ~ 40 %

• Chardonnay ~ 20 %

ABV (Alcohol by Volume)

12.5 % (approximate for the house style)

Scores

• Wine Spectator: 91 pts

• James Suckling: 91 pts

• Wine Enthusiast: 90 pts